Stretch goal £4200

If you have chosen to live your life in mercy and compassion to other animals, then you stand in a long line.

It stretches back to iron age Greece and India, where voices emerge from prehistory challenging the idea that other animals exist purely for us.

I want to bring these stories of compassion to life vividly, using actors, archive, and location recording, so that people who are curious about our legacy of compassion will still be turning to it in ten or twenty years.

This is an enormous commitment of time and money. I can't do this by myself.

Examples of the locations I want to take listeners to include:

Manchester's Victorian vegetarian church

The London street where the word "vegan" was coined

The Indian countryside where iron age philosophers developed Ahimsa

Mysore, India, where western missionaries adopted vegetarianism to fit in and preach

Budget

I've set the initial goal at a level that will provide basic travel expenses and some money for content (such as archive and voice actors to portray the range of voices in the story) for a series of ten fifteen minute episodes.

£3100 is an estimate based on:

£350 - Kickstarter rewards

£150 - books and research

£400 - small range of voice talent for dramatic readings

£200 - token amount of modern audio archive

£100 - equipment to improve field recording

£900 - travel expenses within India, including wifi for backups

£200 - insurance & visa & vaccinations

£300 - travel to locations within hours of London (eg Manchester)

£200 - two years' web hosting, streaming, &c

£300 - Kickstarter and bank fees

I aim to reduce these costs by, for example, using volunteer resources where I can (not least of all, myself).

Much of the travel is going to be UK. I'm not, for example, flying abroad to gather content for just one episode. I'm going to India because half the story I'm telling happened there.

Rewards

The price conversions to Dollars and Euros are approximate (based on £1=$1.64=€1.20). If you're backing this project but your account isn't in sterling, then how much you will pay depends on your bank/card and the exchange rate at the end of the pledge.

Video Credits

Harish Bhimani (narrator, Mahabharat) features as the voice of Mohandas K Gandhi. Music by Robb Masters

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge £15 or more
About $25

(Approx $25 or €18) I'll personally send you a thank you postcard from somewhere the world changed for animals, and an invitation to the launch party at London's Gallery Cafe (max capacity 100*). Plus web thanks and preview.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge £30 or more
About $50

(Approx $49 or €36) I'll thank you with a "The Vegan Option" sticker sheet, and ask you to get involved with a VIP invite to one of the post-show Hangouts with myself and, if they accept, other guests.* Plus web thanks, preview, postcard, and launch invite. (*Will organise at least one hangout per 10 backers using this reward; VIP invitees may ask a question; other listeners may join to watch, but are not guaranteed a question).

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge £50 or more
About $83

(Approx $82 or €60) The complete history series sent to you on a branded thumb drive branded with "The Vegan Option" logo and the message "I made history". Plus above rewards (web credit, preview link, launch invite, VIP chat invite, and sticker).

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge £90 or more
About $150

(Approx $148 or €108) As above, PLUS A standup card timeline of vegetarian history (on trifold A4, 22cm high), extra content (including picture gallery) on the USB stick, and, for those who would like one, a copy of a script for an episode of "The Vegan Option", signed by Ian and co-host (Diana, Cathy, or Erin).

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge £150 or more
About $249

(Approx $246 or €180) SPONSOR You're mentioned as SPONSOR on one episode on all platforms we control for as long as the shows are available*. Reach out to vegetarians and vegans! Your choice of episode where slot available. Contact ian@theVeganOption.org to discuss. Plus all £90 level benefits. (*Syndicatees, such as resonance, may have their own editorial rules about sponsor credits. As you would expect, The Vegan Option doesn't accept sponsorship that exploits animals.)

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge £350 or more
About $582

(Approx $656 or €480) Place on a one-day podcast workshop with Ian in London. Learn how to use the tools you have available to make radio that sounds as good as possible.* Plus all £90 benefits (*Will try to arrange for a day all can make, but will call a vote if necessary. If you cannot make the day, will give you four hours of one to one coaching, online if necessary, instead.)

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge £400 or more
About $665

(Approx $738 or €540) Get your digital audio project off the ground with its own sonic identity and a year of coaching! Ian will give you eight hours of one to one coaching (over the internet if necessary), and electronic musician Robb Masters - composer of the The Vegan Option theme - will create a sonic identity (eg stings) that fits your show (max four hours) PLUS all £90 reward benefits.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge £1,300 or more
About $2,162

(Approx $2460 or €1800) You're mentioned as SPONSOR on all episodes on all platforms we control; see above for details. Plus something extra - something equivalent to half a working day of Ian's time (perhaps a visit to your business if practical). Email Ian to discuss. Plus all £90 level benefits (with extra merchandise).

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge £3,000 or more
About $4,990

(Approx $4920 or €3600) Your name, business, product or service is mentioned, with (subject to editorial approval) a short "tagline" description as having MADE POSSIBLE the series on all episodes on all platforms we control; see above for details. Plus something extra - something equivalent to a working day of Ian's time (perhaps a workshop at your business). Email Ian to discuss. Plus all £90 level benefits.